Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, no matter where you live. Between figuring out whether you qualify, navigating mortgage requirements, saving for a down payment, and trying to understand loans themselves, many would-be buyers get stuck before they even start. The good news is that cities, counties, states, banks, and nonprofits offer programs designed to make homeownership more attainable.

A good first step is understanding who counts as a first-time homebuyer. While it sounds like someone purchasing their very first home, the federal definition is much broader.

“All first-time buyer means is that you haven’t owned a home during the past three years,” Harold Perkins of Galaxy Lending Group said. “You can be a first-time homebuyer several times over the course of your life.”

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